by Myra Lewyn
Dual classic winner Henrythenavigator fended off hard-charging Raven’s Pass in the final furlong and earned his fourth straight Group 1 victory in as many starts this year in the $591,178 BGC Sussex Stakes (Eng-G1) on Wednesday at Goodwood.
Henrythenavigator tracked the early pace set by stablemate Windsor Palace, then sharply quickened under Johnny Murtagh over a furlong out and held back Raven’s Pass by a head at the finish line, easily winning despite the narrow margin. The three-year-old Kingmambo colt covered one mile in 1:38.46 on good to firm turf while providing trainer Aidan O’Brien with his 16th Group 1 triumph this season.
O’Brien set the world record of 23 Group 1 wins in 2001, which was surpassed in 2003 when Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel recorded 25 victories at the highest level.
Sent off the 4-to-11 favorite, Henrythenavigator settled off the pace then accelerated into contention two furlongs out before opening a comfortable lead on the rail. Raven’s Pass was hard-ridden by Jimmy Fortune in the final furlong and steadily closed the gap on Henrythenavigator but could not overtake the winner.
Henrythenavigator entered the Sussex Stakes off a sparkling three-quarter-length victory over Raven’s Pass on June 17 at Royal Ascot in the St. James’s Palace Stakes (Eng-G1), in which he set a turf course record of 1:38.70 for one mile. Prior to that, he captured the Boylesports Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) on May 24 and Stanjamesuk.com Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) on May 3.
“The good ones have everything,” Murtagh told Channel 4 Racing. “They couldn’t go fast enough for him. I had a nice position and when he quickened up, he quickened up really well—I’d say the time for the last two furlongs would have been exceptional.
“When I went by the others, I went to the rail and I was in front soon enough on him. He sensed Jimmy [Fortune on Raven’s Pass] coming and was up for the battle. He’s a great horse, and he won easily on the line. He won’t be beaten this year.”
Although trainer John Gosden was a bit frustrated that Stonerside Stable’s homebred Raven’s Pass was closely beaten for the second straight time by Henrythenavigator, he was elated with the performance of the three-year-old Elusive Quality colt.
“We are thrilled with our horse and thank goodness we turned up, otherwise [Henrythenavigator] would have won by four lengths,” Gosden said.
Bred in Kentucky by Western Bloodstock, Henrythenavigator is out of the Sadler’s Wells mare Sequoyah (Ire). He has won six of eight career starts for owner Susan Magnier. Racing Post reported Coolmore principle John Magnier said Henrythenavigator will be pointed to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on October 25 at Santa Anita Park.
Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times Today editor